The death of a Cook County jail inmate who was restrained after a fire broke out inside his cell late last year has been ruled a homicide, as a state investigation into whether jail personnel should be held responsible for his death continues.
Martinez Duncan, 24, died on the evening of November 20 after his cellmate started a fire inside their locked cell using a “wick,” a piece of tightly rolled toilet paper commonly used in jails to smoke illegal drugs, that had been passed to him by another inmate, according to a sheriff’s office spokesperson.
“Staff responded to the fire and attempted to put the fire out while trying to remove the individuals from the cell,” the spokesperson said Wednesday. “Duncan and his cellmate were removed from the cell and cuffed behind their back before being walked to a holding area to await medical care. Once in the holding area, staff secured Duncan’s cuffs to an eyelet.”…